Joanna's 2nd Chance (rewrite)
by Shastadragonairtamer
Summary: After losing her master at croc falls, joanna the goanna tries to survive on her own & wanders off into fern gully. After a week of unsuccessful attempts at getting a decent meal, she collapses & is found by a certain male goanna who decides to give her a chance, despite the fact that she used to be a human pet. Will Joanna finally get her 2nd chance? Or will it all fall apart?
1. I'm on my own

**AN: So this the revised edition of my first story: Joanna's 2nd Chance, this was literally the first story I'd ever attempted to write so I never really wanted to abandon it completely, I'm finally getting my inspiration for this story back & I hope to actually finish it this time! I might not get to upload very often because my life is very hectic right now, but I'll try to upload as often as possible.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Haha! I whooped ya! I WHOOPED YA ALL! You'll think _twice_ before messin' with Percival C. Mcleach! Hahahaha!"

I waved goodbye sadly as I watched my master struggle in vain against the heavy rapids, eventually disappearing over Croc Falls.

I can't believe it, my master is really gone...the human who gave me shelter, food, a name and a purpose is truly gone!

Although, he'd also beaten, abused and threatened to kill me so many times that I lost count a long time ago, so I'm not _too_ sad about it.

I sighed in defeat and began to wander off into the desert.

Unfortunately it was still nighttime, so it was kinda cold, although the fact that I just swam in a freezing cold river to escape a bunch of crocodiles wasn't exactly helping anything.

Eventually I saw a tree-line that led into a rainforest (I think I remember my master calling it Fern Gully once before)

I figured I'd have better luck finding a meal in there than trying my luck in the scorching-hot desert, so I wandered off into the rainforest and decided to just find a place to sleep for the night before trying my luck at finding a meal tomorrow.

I eventually found a hollow log to hide in and curled up before falling asleep with only one thought on my mind.

 _'I'm on my own now.'_

* * *

 **1 Week Later:**

I've been wandering the forest for days, trying to get something decent to eat.

It seems to me that I've relied on my human master for so long that I've all but forgotten how to fend for myself.

Every time I manage to find something - usually eggs - I get attacked & chased off by other animals, and there's no human with a gun to protect me now. I've tried fighting for my meal, but unfortunately I'm not exactly the strongest lizard, so I usually end up eating any bugs, small lizards, birds or rats I can find, but they don't fill me, and the lack of a decent meal has started to take its toll on my body.

For the past 3 days I've been eating nothing but bugs, I haven't even managed to find a small lizard or a bird to eat and it's beginning to show.

My bones can be seen through my skin, I can easily count my ribs & my legs can barely move me from one place to another anymore.

 _'Why am I so useless?!'_

My steps began to waver until I couldn't move another step, I collapsed & finally let the bitter tears that'd been building up fall from my eyes, eventually breaking down into heavy sobs & wails of despair before finally crying myself to sleep.


	2. Help From A Stranger

Goanna was headed to his favorite "sun spot" as he called it (it was really just a giant tree root by a river that he liked to lay on & be lazy from time to time) and paused when he heard what sounded like someone crying.

Curious as to what could be the source of the noise, he started heading in the direction of it, he followed the noise for about 5 minutes when it suddenly stopped and he almost turned to head back the way he came before hearing it again, only this time it had died down to quiet sniffling.

He followed the noise once more and eventually came to a small creek, the sound was much clearer than before and he turned to see something lying on the bank.

He walked over to investigate & was completely shocked to find an unconscious female goanna lizard, judging by the tear tracks on her face, he guessed that she was the one that was making all the noise.

He silently studied her for a moment, she was much smaller than him & had bright blue-green skin, as he looked closer, he could see that she was so skinny that he could easily count her ribs. She also had scars all over her body, most of which he could tell were from human weapons, he knew this because he'd seen the same kind of marks on a dog that had been abandoned in Fern Gully by its former master, which his fairy-friend Crysta made him help free from a human trap.

So this female is - or at least was - a _pet_ at one point in time, nothing but a toy, or possibly an attack animal used for human purposes.

Even though he despised pets, he couldn't help feeling a twinge of pity for her, being a fellow goanna and all, so he gently lifted her up with his tail & one of his claws before maneuvering her onto his back, a task he found extremely easy since she was so light that if her body wasn't so long he would've been able to lift her with a single claw.

 _'How long has she been starving like this?!'_

He began to worry for the female & decided to call on Crysta for help.

* * *

Crysta was helping some of the weaker plants around Fern Gully to grow when she decided to check in on Goanna.

Usually he'd be at his nest or his favorite sun spot at this time, but when she checked both places, he was nowhere to be seen.

 _'Hm, maybe he went to look for food-'_

"Crysta!"

She turned to see her friend Pips coming her way.

"What is it Pips?"

"Goanna's looking for you, he said it's urgent & to meet him by the creek a little ways south from his nest."

 _'Oh, so_ that's _where he is.'_

"Ok, thanks Pips."

He nodded & flew off while she headed towards the creek, she briefly wondered what the urgent matter could be, but she guessed she'd just have to go and find out for herself.

She eventually found the creek & began to look for Goanna, when she finally found him, to say Crysta was shocked would be an understatement.

He was carrying a female goanna on his back & was looking extremely worried.

"What happened Goanna? Who's she?"

"I don't know, I found her like this. She's in too-rough shape to be carried all the way to my nest, and she looks like she hasn't had a decent meal in quite a long time."

She looked closer to see that he was right, the female goanna had scars all over her body & Crysta could easily see her ribs through her skin.

"Oh...poor thing. Ok then, we can at least try to make her more comfortable for now, how about I build a nest & watch over her while you go find her some decent food, is that alright with you?"

He nodded & she began gathering some big soft leaves for her to rest on, once the "nest" was finished, Goanna gently lifted the female off his back before carefully laying her out amongst the leaves, Crysta smiled fondly as she watched the big lug fuss over the female for a bit before finally wandering off into the woods.

She silently studied the female goanna a bit more & took a closer look at her scars, some of them looked like claw marks, but most of them were definitely caused by humans.

She'd seen the same kind of scars on a pair of dogs called Slasher & Boof, who had been mistreated by their former masters, but luckily they now live happily with a human girl named Budgie & her grandfather.

Crysta felt bad for this poor creature, she'd clearly been a victim of human cruelty, though the extra skin that was showing on her proved that she'd once been a plump & healthy lizard, so she must've been a pet or attack animal like Slasher & Boof.

If she was in this state now it must mean either she was abandoned, or something had happened to her master.

Crysta heard a rustling sound & sighed in relief when she saw Goanna had returned.

* * *

 **Joanna:**

 _Owww...why does everything hurt?!'_

I took a moment to think about things, my body was sore all over & my muscles were stiff, but at least that means that - by some miracle - I haven't died yet.

I forced my eyes open and just _barely_ managed to lift my head & analyze my surroundings, I paused when I realized that there was a small creek to my right, and I was laying on a bed of giant plushy leaves.

 _'Who put me here?'_

I vaguely remember collapsing by the creek, but I certainly didn't make the "nest" that I'm laying on, so who did?

I looked around to see if I could find anything that would give me answers & my heart almost stopped when I looked down.

There was at least half a dozen eggs laying beside me, as if someone had purposely left them for me.

I hesitantly looked around to make sure there wasn't anything that would jump out & attack me, and when I didn't see anything, I immediately wolfed down every last one.

Finally, I don't feel the pains of hunger anymore, and I can feel my energy slowly returning.

I managed to slowly crawl my way to the water & take several huge gulps. When I had my fill, I immediately began to feel tired again, it seems that just that small amount of movement had been enough to wear me out.

I began to cry happy tears & silently thanked whoever had shown me kindness for the first time since I'd been left alone in the world before letting the darkness consume me once more.


	3. Meeting My Savior

**AN: Sorry about the switching POVs, hope you enjoy anyway :)**

Goanna thanked Crysta for her help before saying goodbye as he carried a few more eggs back to the female's nest.

When he got there, he almost dropped them when he saw she wasn't in the nest, he set the eggs down & looked around before spotting her limp form laying beside the creek again. He sighed & shook his head as he walked over to her, the poor thing must've woken up while he was gone & tried to get a drink, but he also noticed that the eggs he'd left earlier were gone, so that was a good sign at least.

He gently carried her back to the nest & laid down beside her, curling his tail around her protectively before studying her silently for a moment, to others she might be considered ugly, but he thought she was beautiful, scars & all.

He briefly wondered if she knew how to speak, considering her former situation, probably not. But if she decided to stick around, he wouldn't mind teaching her.

He smiled slightly & laid his head down beside her before deciding to rest for a bit.

* * *

 **Joanna:**

" _Joanna! Joanna! You stupid lizard, get off of me you idiot!"_

 _Somehow I was back in the water at croc falls. I saw the crocs heading our way and turned to try & swim to the side when I suddenly felt something grab ahold of my tail, I turned to see that my master had grabbed me & was giving me an evil glare. _

_"Oh no you don't! If I'm dyin' I'm taking you with me!"_

 _I began to struggle, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get loose! I saw the edge of the falls getting closer & began to panic. _

_'NO! No please! I don't wanna die!'_

 _I heard my master let out an evil laugh that sounded completely demonic as I struggled harder & began to cry when I felt the pull of the rapids getting stronger. _

_'No, no! Please!_ _ **NO**_ _!'_

 _I cried out as I went over the falls._

My eyes shot open & I gasped for air before sighing in relief when I realized it had been only a dream.

I froze when I noticed a blue & red tail with black stripes curled around me, I followed the length of the tail to find a _huge_ blue body with orange legs, a red underbelly, and a mess of black spots & stripes covering it.

I began shaking in fear before turning to find an enormous red & blue head laying right in front of my face, I gasped & shook in fear at the massive male goanna curled around me before I decided to try & sneak away while he was still asleep, but as I tried stepping over his tail, it suddenly wrapped around my middle, preventing any chance I had of escaping. I froze, thinking he'd woken up, but when I turned to look, I found him still asleep, so either he was faking, or it'd been a reflex.

I gulped before surrendering myself & laying back down beside him, albeit as far away from him as his tail would allow.

* * *

Goanna had opened one eye when he felt the female trying to sneak away & saw her trying to step over his tail. He wasn't about to let her wander off on her own, so he wrapped his tail around her middle, making sure she couldn't get away before pretending to be asleep.

He felt her stiffen before trying (and failing) to pull away, after a minute she finally gave up & he felt her move to lay down as far away as she could with his tail wrapped around her.

He bit back a triumphant smirk and opened one eye to see her curled up & staring off into the distance, he watched as she sighed before a variety of painful emotions went across her face, anger, sadness, and finally shame.

* * *

 **Joanna:**

I wasn't tired anymore so I began to think about everything that had led up to this point.

If only my master hadn't gotten so obsessed with that stupid eagle, then I wouldn't be in this mess!

But then I began to think about all the innocent lives that I'd helped destroy.

All those innocent animals that never did anything to anyone, kidnapping that little boy who was friends with the eagle, heck, I tried eating her unborn chicks for crying out loud! And all for what? So that McLeach could get rich while I got nothing but a few eggs, another beating & a gun pointed in my face if-and-when I messed up?!

Sure, McLeach wasn't always cruel, he'd reward me whenever I did my job right, but if I ever messed up or failed, he was sure to let me know.

Usually in the most painful way possible.

Like, for example; when I attacked that human boy & accidentally knocked my master into the pitfall trap that had caught the kid by accident, I knew that he really _would_ have shot me if the kid hadn't happened to have that eagle feather sticking out of his backpack.

Or when I'd stolen all his eggs while he was ranting about how to find the eagle (I admit that I had been thinking with my stomach instead of my brain since he hadn't fed me at all that day) He would've beaten me within an inch of my life with that metal egg tin if he hadn't thought about the eagle's eggs!

I hung my head in shame and bit back bitter tears before deciding that I didn't wanna think about it anymore and turned to study the male beside me.

He was about the same body length as me, but a bit longer in the tail, although when it came to body mass, he was about twice my size.

I could easily see the solid muscle laying beneath his multi-colored skin, which was understandable since I'm sure you'd _have_ to be tough to survive out here.

I had to admit, he was very handsome.

* * *

Goanna silently watched as the female studied him & bit back a smirk when he noticed that she was staring at his muscles and didn't see him looking at her. He couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the fact that she'd been staring for a good 5 minutes and her eyes shot up to meet his own. He felt her trembling in fear as she stared at him completely wide-eyed.

He knew it may sound wrong, but she looked cute when she was scared.

"It's alright little one, I'm not gonna hurt you."

He tried to reassure her and to his surprise, he actually felt her relax in his grip and decided to try to get her to speak.

"I'm Goanna, do you have a name?"

Joanna hadn't spoken in so long, she wasn't sure if she could even say her own name!

She decided to try anyway and breathed deeply before attempting to speak for the first time since she was a month old.

"J-j-jo...a-an-n-na."

She waited for him to laugh at her pathetic attempt at speech, but to her surprise, he didn't, in fact he just smiled at her.

"It's ok, try again."

She looked at him in shock as he continued to encourage her.

"Try again, you can do it. Just take it slowly."

She gulped before trying again.

"J-Jo...ann...na...Jo...ann...na... jo...anna... Joanna!"

He grinned when she finally managed to say it without stuttering.

Joanna the goanna... it suited her.

"See? I told you you could do it."


End file.
